Crannogs, the name meaning "young trees" for reasons which aren't too clear, were dwelling places for people in Ireland from the time of the Tuatha de Dannan right up to the seventeenth century. They were built on shallow lakes or pools on top of tree trunks stuck into the lake bottom, piles of rocks, mud and other debris or on natural islands.

They were very defensible as you either had to swim or make your way across the narrow causeway connecting the crannog to the mainland if you wanted to attack the place, getting through a gatehouse where people were raining down arrows on you in the meantime. Sometimes the path to the crannog would be slightly submerged under the lake's surface, coloured as the lake, and it would be difficult to cross unless you knew where the path was in the first place.

They were usually quite large, twenty five meters across and raised almost two meters above the surface, surrounded by a wooden palisade wall. The buildings within would have been made of wood and wicker as well. The bigger ones are called royal crannogs because it's assumed they were the homes of powerful persons of high status. There was usually enough room for the livestock as well in any case, to protect them from raiders and predators.

Even more interesting than these comfortable and well protected abodes was the way they often had escape tunnels which came out through and under the lake in secluded areas nearby. The locations of these tunnels were a well-kept secret, as you didn't want your enemies sneaking across in the middle of the night!

Larger crannogs and defensive positions often had networks of tunnels beneath them, labyrinths almost, with protective "creeps" or stile like obstacles in them. Sometimes engraved magical ogham stones were used as roofing material to support the tunnel walls.

Today you can visit reconstructed crannogs at places like Quin, County Clare, adjacent to 16th century Craggaunowen Castle. Crawl through the tunnels and experience for yourself a taste of what life might have been like in the times of the ancient heroes of Ireland!

You can visit the crannogs at Craggaunowen at the location marked on the map. If you'd like to visit you can find a good list of hotels, B&Bs and other accommodation here. While you're enjoying this site you might also enjoy a little Celtic and Irish music to set the mood, or just the one or two songs if you're not interested in the whole albums. Don't forget you can get some very nice Irish jewelry for yourself or someone else as well, or for the craftier maybe make your own!

And you can educate yourself about them before visiting by reading this book here as well.